Events
King Edward VII - Post 16 Open Evening
November 12, 2026
18.00 - 20.00
English Language
King Edward VII School
Glossop Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S10 2PW
GCE A/AS Level or Equivalent
Level 3
Available start dates
Available start dates
Wednesday, 01 September 2027
King Edward
2 Year(s)
Full time
Daytime/working hours
Course Summary
A level Language is very different to what you know from GCSE English Language. You will learn about the language you use and read every day – how it is structured and adapted by its users. We also focus on what research can tell us about how language might be affected by the way a person wants to project an image of themselves, by their status, gender, interests or because of where they live.
Course Details
• Textual Variations and Representations – How is language used to create meanings?
• Children’s Language Development – How do children learn to speak, read and write?
• Language Diversity and Change – How can language differ amongst individuals, between groups or over time?
• Language Discourses – What different viewpoints are held about language?
• Writing skills – How can we communicate ideas about language to non-specialist readers?
• Language Investigation – What would I like to investigate about language?
• Original writing – How can I adapt genre conventions and my language choices to challenge and engage my reader?
This will include the analysis and comparison of spoken texts. We will also teach you how to formulate a clear argument in discursive and evaluative essays. You will analyse how texts use language to present ideas, attitudes and opinions. For the coursework, you will produce a piece of original writing and commentary in Year 12, (1,500 in total) and a language investigation in Year 13 (2,000 words excluding data).
How will it be delivered and assessed?
Paper 1: Language, the Individual and Society. 2 ½ hours. 40% of A-Level.
Paper 2: Language Diversity and Change. 2 ½ hours. 40% of A-Level.
Coursework: Language in Action. 20% of A-Level.
Entry requirements
You will have gained grade 5 or above in English Language and a grade 5 in English Literature. You will be someone who finds reading rewarding and reads widely and independently outside of school. You will also be somebody who enjoys analysing language and has a genuine curiosity about the meanings behind texts.
TO ENSURE YOUR SUBJECT CHOICES FIT INTO THE TIMETABLE PLEASE SEE OUR BLOCKING TIMETABLE BY CLICKING ON THE LINK BELOW TO GO TO OUR WEBSITE. SUBJECTS SHOULD BE CHOSEN IN DIFFERENT BLOCKS TO AVOID CLASHES.
Your next steps...
A qualification in this subject is valuable for any university Arts, Social Sciences, Linguistics or Humanities degree course. If you want to include English Literature in university study, you should also follow an A level course in Literature.
Additional information
For more courses like this, check our courses page.
